Desynched
by xZhi-Dux
Summary: They love each other, they know it, but they hide...for a time. Odd circumstances aside, they make a very charming couple, ne? AC2 Slash Ezinardo...LOL, couldn't help it!
1. Chapter 1

**Desynched**

**Gothic 1**

G1: Well, so now I'm REALLY overloading myself, as I am very lazy and busy with school.

Kitti: Forgive late updates and short chapters, they are chronic.

G1: It's a terrible illness, this ADOST of mine.....(Attention Deficit-Ooh a Shiny Thing)

**Chapter 1**

Leonardo sighed and smiled at the sharp knock on the door, and turned to meet his favorite guest, but paused upon inspection. "Ezio? Why are you so wet?"

The assassin merely looked at his friend and scowled, lowering his hood from drenched hair. Leonardo grinned and spread his arms, showing innocence, as he stepped forward and helped remove the armor. The artist wiped down the equipment and turned in flushed surprise to find his friend naked, turned away, wringing out his clothes.

Leonardo slowly dragged his gaze up the man's perfect body, eyes following the line of muscle up the curve of the buttocks, into his back and shoulders, down his arms, as they flexed. The painter took a deep, shaking breath and spun on his heel to fetch one of his own night shirts. He tossed the linen to the younger man and turned away again, preoccupying himself with the armor once more.

Ezio wrapped a warm hug around his only true friend and heaved a sigh of relief. "Grazie, Leo. You have no idea what a wonderful friend you are to me." The assassin let go as the blonde patted his hands gently, keeping his face hidden in a curtain of hair. "Are you okay? You don't seem to be feeling so well."

"Si, I am fine. I am just feeling a little...feverish. That is all."

"Well, if that is the case, I am in need of bed rest, you could lay with me. Since we are both in need of it and you own only one bed." The rigid set of the engineer's shoulders worried the young Italian, and he massaged them soothingly, smiling slightly. "We are both men, are we not? It will be fine!" Ezio ran his hands slowly down his friend's arms, took one hand, and led the man to bed, where the artist was folded into the muscular frame of a wanted killer.

_-*-_-*-_

Ezio slept soundly, his face buried in the nape of his only true friend's neck, from behind, but said friend had no such luck. He lay restlessly in the arms of the man he loved and could find no release.

The assassin awoke and wrapped his arms tighter around the other man. "That was the best sleep I have had in years, thank you Leo." He murmured sleepily as he sat up, scratching vacantly at his linen clad chest.

"Really?" Leonardo asked incredulously, sitting up and turning to face his unrequited love.

Ezio nodded and smiled. "Si, I suppose you are the only person I am comfortable sleeping near. No, that doesn't cover it. I guess I can only truly sleep if I am actually with you. In your workshop is the only place that I ever actually rest. But with you in my arms, I haven't slept that comfortably in far too long."

"Mi dispiace, mi amico." Leonardo whispered, tears threatening at the corners of his eyes. The two slid out of bed, late in the evening, and as the assassin redressed, the artist set up a clean canvas. He lifted a piece of charcoal and slowly sketched his comrade's sleeping visage, a small smile gracing the corner of his lips, twisting the thin scar.

"Am I really that pretty, Leo? Or is that just how you see me?" The painter started, dropping his coal and clutching his chest, smearing black over the his white shirt. Ezio laughed and wrapped an arm around the other's neck in a loose headlock.

As the laughter died, Leonardo remembered the question and grimaced. "You really are that beautiful." A blush crept up his neck as he spoke. "You may never see it, but you really are quite a gorgeous specimen." He lowered his head, allowing his hand that clutched his friend's arm to drop, only to be caught in a calloused palm.

"Do not be embarrassed. Thank you, those are the kindest words I have heard in a long time. I will cherish them forever." He pressed a loving, friendly kiss to the fold of the engineer's neck and nuzzled in, breathing deep in contentment when a knock sounded from the door.

"Leonardo, have you forgotten our caffe chat? I'm coming in!" Sure enough, Antonio entered, carrying a large jug of the bitter, dark liquid. The host flushed deeper and wiggled free of his assassin friend to greet his new guest.

He bowed humbly, "I apologize, this evening has been interesting, it slipped my mind, as I so rarely get to entertain Ezio." Antonio lifted an eyebrow and smiled widely.

The thief opened his arms in welcome, as if he owned the place, and Ezio felt a pang of bitter jealousy. "It is truly a sight for sore eyes, you in Venezia! Welcome back!" The assassin dipped his head silently and tightened his bracer.

He turned toward the man he thought of as his own and smiled, failing to hide his distaste. "Well, I hate to run off, but I do have a mission." He left with that, not waiting for a response of any kind. The two remaining men watched in confusion.

_-*-_-*-_

"And Rosa chased him! Oh! Mio Dio! She chased Ezio, trying to get close, but he kept getting away! He was too fast and too disinterested in her! She leaped onto his back from a rooftop, finally, and kissed him!" Antonio yelled through his laughter, obviously drunk. "She kissed him and he THREW her! Do you believe it?! And when she swore at him he said that his kiss was meant for one person and one person alone! YOU, Leonardo! YOU!" The man slapped his knees in delight and slowly quieted down, giving his host a sultry look.

The artist shook his head and tried to laugh along, missing the odd expression and was completely taken off guard when he was shoved from his chair and pressed to the floor. "A-Antonio?" He whispered, having had the breath knocked out of him.

"I would share my kiss with you any day. If he wants you so bad, why doesn't he just take you?" The man asked rhetorically, lowering his mouth slowly to hover over the younger man's. Leonardo opened his mouth to protest, only to find a foreign tongue in the way. He squirmed and yelled, but the sound was muffled severely. Tears stung the corners of his eyes from the pain of the thief's hold of his wrists, and his struggling was to no avail.

Just as the artist decided to give up, two wraps came to his door, which promptly opened, signaling his savior. Ezio entered carrying a small muslin sack and stopped dead at the scene laid out before him. Antonio slowly kissed away from his captive's mouth, down the thin line of exposed chest, giving Leonardo all the room he needed.

"Ezio!" He flexed his fingers, trying to reach his friend, happy at the sudden arrival and soon to be intervention. The youngest man stood there, staring with his mouth hanging open slightly.

He turned and set the package on the supply table. "I think I will leave you two alone then." He said, voice choked, as he strode out, slamming the front door behind him. Leonardo stared at the vacated space and felt his eyes well with tears and sobbed slightly as those tears slid down his forehead. Deft fingers loosened the lacing of his tunic and breeches and all he could do was lay there and feel betrayed.

_-*-_-*-_

The next morning, Leonardo lay alone, naked, and cold on his workshop floor. He hadn't slept, afraid that Antonio would come back to finish what he'd started. The painter didn't know what to do; the love of his life misunderstood his predicament, their mutual friend had nearly raped him, and no more tears would come. He slowly sat up and wondered where the thief had wandered off to last night when he said he was going to get more liquor.

Luckily, he had wanted to replenish the alcohol supply before he could act upon the clothing removal he had performed. The engineer picked up his discarded clothing and placed them in a bin with other articles that were also in need of cleaning. He donned a new outfit and sat down at his table, only to lay his head down on the muslin package. He sat up and poked it, furrowing his brows as he tentatively unwrapped it. A slow smile spread across his face at the opposable wooden doll. He stroked it fondly and set it in a position to remind him of his love.

His face fell at the thought and he sighed, laying his head back on the table. Would he ever come back and give him the chance to explain? Two sharp knocks and the creak of the door had the artist on his feet, the previously occupied chair laying on its side, running forward to meet his guest. His breathing hitched as Ezio strode forward.

"Ezio! Er....T-thank you for the model, I love it..." The assassin merely nodded and edged passed the other man. Leonardo stepped aside, watching and wringing his hands together.

"I forgot my necklace." The assassin explained, lifting the leather thong off the table and fastening it around his neck.

He turned and strode away, almost to the door, Leonardo was losing his chance! "About last night-" he blurted, face bright red and hidden in his messy hair. "I didn't sleep with Antonio. I never touched him! He was drunk and telling me a story...a-and he..." The artist stared at his boots intently, wondering if his explanation had fallen on deaf ears or if those ears were even still present. A leather clad hand roughly grabbed his chin, tilting his head back, forcing his red, puffy, tear-filled eyes to meet the cold eyes of the assassin.

"And you just let him do this? You just let him touch you?!" The man's voice grew louder as he asked, anger rising.

The engineer shook his head in the strong hold on his face and sniffed. "You don't understand! He had me pinned! I thought I was saved when you got here, but you left! And he-and he-!" The elder began to shake rapidly and slumped slowly, allowing Ezio to take his weight and carry him to his bed. The younger removed his gloves and bracers, to comfortably stroke the sobbing man's cheeks lovingly.

He kissed away the tears and shed his armor, laying down next to the broken man, holding him tight and whispering sweet nothings in his ear. Once Leonardo had calmed down, Ezio had to know. "What exactly did he do to you? Did he rape you?" He asked, his voice darkening on the last question.

"What?! No! He...he would have, but he wanted to go get more...drink...He didn't come back after that."

"But what did he DO to you?"

"He...touched me...a lot...and stripped me...Th-that's all..." The artist averted his gaze, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Show me where." Leonardo looked up, eyes wide.

"Wah?"

"I said: Show me." The artist nodded slowly and started pointing to all of the places, but Ezio grabbed his wrist and shook his head. "I want to see." The blonde gave a curt nod and slowly untied his tunic and dropped it to the bed. He trailed a finger down his chest, indicating the line of kisses and a few hickeys. The Auditore gripped his friend's hips and leaned forward, pressing kiss after kiss along the traced path, much closer than necessary. He suckled and nibbled over the hickeys and sat back so he could be led to the next place.

Leonardo flushed insanely as he unlaced his breeches and slid them to his knees, allowing the cloth to pool on the bed where he knelt. "He didn't put his mouth anywhere else, so-"

"Show me where he touched you." The painter gulped and pointed at individual places along his inner thigh, and over his covered groin. The assassin lay his friend down on his back and finished removing the breeches as he slowly planted his lips in exactly the indicated spots. He reached up to pull down the undershorts, but the slim artist fingers were holding the waistband like his life depended on it.

"Oh, so he can touch you there, but I cannot?"

"He wasn't kissing me there!" He responded, blushingly wildly. Ezio sat back and folded his arms over his broad chest, opening his mouth as if to argue, but thought better of it.

"Fine, but I missed a spot." His voice dropped to a whisper as the sentence progressed, and he lay down to straddle the other man, lightly pressing their lips together. The artist parted his lips, but just as quickly as it happened, it ended and Leonardo was alone on the bed. He sat up and looked around, confused, to find the other man pressed firmly against the wall on the opposite side of the room. His chest was heaving, eyes wide, staring at his friend.

The older crawled forward on the bed, "What's wrong, Ezio?"

"Leo. I'm so sorry!" The assassin rushed forward, gathered his gear and was gone, leaping out the window even as he was fastening his armor. The engineer sat back and pondered the problem. Did the younger man not realize the shared emotion, did he think that it would not be reciprocated?

"Ti amo..." The pair said in unison, one cradling his own wounded heart on his bed, the other sailing over rooftops in the cool morning air, scared of the repercussions.

**Author Notes!!!!!!!!!!!!**

G1: So, this is my own personal form of entertainment, so if no one likes it, too bad, I want to continue it, no matter how long it takes me!

Kitti: Not to say that if you like you shouldn't let us know. We love it when our work is appreciated.

G1: What work do you do?! I'm the one typing her arthritic fingers to the bone!

Kitti: Watching you rub the pain and cramps out of your bruised and deformed knuckles takes a lot out of me! I think my job is MUCH more demanding!

G1: Review! Please! Give me more reason that self amusement!


	2. Chapter 2

**Desynched**

**Gothic 1**

G1: well, here we are again, ridiculously early on account of the fact that I'm bored and excited, and currently have no internet connection, so it's this and alternating with 高莲恩on playing AC2, and it is her turn. (at 2 AM!)

Kitti: Lucky for me, I am a muse/excuse to have dialogue in the author notes, so this nothing for me!

G1: Meh! Enjoy! (by the way, I think Antonio looks like a creeper, and he was drunk last chapter, so...yeah...)

高: haha buttsex~!!! ;3

**Chapter 2**

Ezio wandered aimlessly about the city, trying to clear his head. How to make it up to Leonardo? He had completely taken advantage of the older man's weakened mental state. The young assassin was so buried in his thoughts, that it took a blade to his throat to catch his attention.

He stiffened as the cool metal cut a thin line on the front of his neck, a drop of blood seeping out. La Volpe lowered next to the man's ear and whispered: "Boo." Ezio relaxed slightly and leaned his head back, looking the man in the eye.

"Can we not approach each other like normal human beings?" The smiles on both their faces were genuine, hiding in the light.

"I am afraid not, Little One. Only normal human beings can act like normal human beings." He purred, allowing his cheek to brush the younger man's. Ezio tensed, feeling that the situation was going to go from awkward to bad in 5-4-3-2-1.

Sure enough, La Volpe turned his head ever so slightly, brushing their lips, a mere flutter. He pulled back and smiled again, not removing the knife. The assassin stared, wide eyed at his comrade and made an attempt at disarming the older man, only to have his arm twisted behind his back and his face slammed into the roofing slats.

"You should know better, young one, I have taught you things, what trick could you possibly pull on me?"

"This one." A vase crashed down on the elder man's head and Ezio was suddenly freed. He rolled onto his back, coming face-to-hand with Rosa, offering to help him up. "You know, for such a great man, he sure does know how to get distracted."

_-*-_-*-_

Lady Teodora nearly jumped out of her skin at the crashes and screams emitting from Antonio's "room". She hurried down the stairs to find Ezio, with Rosa failing to restrain him, shouting at her "customer" over a dagger.

"So, trying to rape Leonardo wasn't enough for you?! Now you have to come here to get a second fix?!" He lunged, sweeping the blade out in front of him, barely missing as Rosa yanked on his waist sash.

Antonio held the sheet around his waist, tripping backwards over it. "What?! When did this happen?!"

"Last night, you bastardo!"

"Last night I slept here! I got drunk and they picked me up and brought me here!"

"You got drunk with HIM!" Tears stung at the assassin's eyes as Rosa clamped her arms around his waist. He fought weakly, but gave up and slumped forward, shaking slightly. Antonio and Sister Teodora stood staring, appalled by the sudden emotional upheaval. Rosa sat the man down on a couch slowly and rubbed his back.

"I-if you hadn't have done that...then I wouldn't have..." he choked, then seemed to grasp his bearings, and stood up. He flipped his hood up and strode out of the "church", on his way to kill something.

The three remaining people stared between themselves, concern marring all of their brows.

_-*-_-*-_

Leonardo leaned back in his bath, enjoying the bubbles and trying to forget his woes, when the familiar knock and creak sounded. He sat up, eyes bright, only to realize his predicament.

"Leo! Where are you?"

"I'm upstairs!" He hollered his response, looking around, trying to decide if getting out would be safer. Too late, Ezio poked his head into the wash closet cautiously and smiled at the sight.

"You know, that really is very adorable, a grown man in a bubble bath!" He laughed at the responding blush and stepped in, blood dripping down his arm. "Well, as much as I like this, I'm having a bit of a problem." The painter's eyes went wide as he hopped over the side of the tub, completely thoughtless, to fetch the first aid kit.

Upon returning, he found his friend stripped to his breaches, sitting on a stool next to the tub. "This way you can still be in the bath while you fix me up." He said, explaining. Offering a nod, the older slipped back into the water and lifted his sponge, wringing it out slightly before pressing it to the wound. He proceeded to wash away the blood, finding a nasty gash.

"What, pray tell, happened to you?" He asked, slight cynicism apparent in his voice.

"Well, I became notorious again, by pissing off some guards with my mouth, and was chasing an official, to lower it. Well, I killed him, lowered my notoriety, and noticed a tear in my sleave. I inspected it, managed to trip my hidden blade, stabbed myself, fell of the ledge with the blade in my own arm, and made it worse. Sorry."

Leonardo stared incredulously at the man and shook his head. "I will never understand how someone who can scale fifty story towers can be a clutze on sea level!" The pair laughed at this, and the artist finished the stitches off, eying the other man suspiciously. "So, where to now?"

"Well, I was thinking of retiring for the night, as I do oh so rarely. May I join you?" They blushed at each other silently. "Well, I understand if you decline, but either way, I'm at least staying for now, I need to talk to you about something important."

Leonardo sighed, thought for a moment, then nodded. "No need for you to sit out in the cold covered in blood. Get in, I will help you wash while we talk."

Ezio smiled as dropped his breaches, making the other man turn a bright red. The artist looked away, any where but the large... He squeezed his eyes shut until he could no longer hear the rustle of clothing removal. He opened his eyes again and looked around, it was too quiet. He turned around and bumped noses with the assassin, sitting comfortably in the tub next to him.

"Wow, you really are amazing, I didn't hear you get in." He said, trying to explain his flushed state from proximity as being startled.

"Why did you close your eyes when I was getting in?" The younger man asked, lowering his eyes slightly. "Am I bad to look at?" He looked so upset that Leonardo couldn't help but hug him, their bare chests touching, making his pulse quicken.

"No, I am just ashamed to look upon such a body, when I have no superior musculature to offer you." The artist smiled and pulled back slightly. "'Tis an artist way of thinking." When Ezio returned with a blank stare, the engineer laughed and hugged him again. "In other words, you are far too gorgeous for my mortal eyes!"

The assassin smiled and nuzzled his friend's neck. They stayed like that for a while, until it struck the younger man. "But you are amazingly beautiful! You are even known as the most attractive man in all of Italia!"

"And you are the most wanted. Setting the 'murders' aside, that is." The two sat staring at each other, when Ezio closed his eyes, concentrating.

"I am sorry about this morning. I took complete advantage of your state of mind, I did not mean to, I got carried away in my anger. It won't happen again. That was all I wanted to say."

"Ah, here, let me wash your back." Leonardo pulled lightly on one shoulder and pushed the other to make the man turn around. He complied and moaned happily as the soapy sponge traveled down his back in slow, firm circles. He leaned forward and rested his head on the side of the tub, enjoying the massage. "You know, I do not mind. For me, this morning was simply wonderful, so I was hurt when you stopped and left so abruptly." The artist confessed, rinsing the strong back before him, and pausing at the lack of response. "Ezio?"

He rose to his knees and looked at the assassin's face, finding him fast asleep. He smiled and planted a soft kiss at the corner of the upturned mouth, right on the scar. He was shocked, though, when those lips moved in response. He pulled back and saw his own blue eyes reflected in the golden brown of the man he had _thought _to be asleep.

"Y-you could have said something!"

"And miss my kiss? I think not!" the assassin replied indignantly, sitting up and folding his arms. The two smiled at each other, leaning in, when Ezio stiffened. "We are no longer alone." He whispered, hardly audible. He allowed a swift brush of lips before he stood silently, stepping out and tying a towel about his waist as he reached for his dagger, creeping silently from the room.

Leonardo sat, frozen with fear and anticipation, and nearly screamed when he heard a woman scream. Moments later, the assassin reentered, anger underlying his features as he dropped his towel and slipped back into his breaches. Rosa followed in moments later, cursing under her breath.

She sat on the stool next to the tub and began complaining to the painter about something or other, but he wasn't listening, he was too distracted, watching the man he loved clothe himself. "Ezio." he murmured, unintentionally interrupting the thief and receiving a glare from her.

The assassin turned, pausing as he pulled up his hood. "I am sorry, Leo, but I have work to attend to. Thank you for the medical aid." He spun on his heel and left, making the artist's heart ache.

**Author's Notes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

G1: These chapters will get consecutively shorter, as I lose interest or time, depending.

Kitti: Theatre rehearsals will be starting up soon, and no one wants to go from hunched behind a sewing machine to hunched in front of a computer, so updates will become sporadic for a while.

G1: If this matters to you, well, we gave fair warning last chapter, but know that I WILL finish this story, even if I" have to start pumping out fluff and filler.

Kitti: Review please! *sharpens knife*


	3. Chapter 3

**Desynched**

**Gothic 1**

G1: Well, here we are again! ucansukit was my first review for this story! How sentimental!!!

Kitti: So, as of now (1/19/2010 at 7:37AM) there is one review.

G1: LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Chapter 3**

Leonardo sat in his workshop, trying to listen to what the female thief was telling him, but his mind kept wandering back to the abrupt departure. He was about to excuse himself when something Rosa said caught his mind.

"Wait, you stopped La Volpe from doing _what_?" He asked, scrunching his nose. She raised her head and smiled wickedly.

"So that's how to get your attention! All I have to do is mention Ezio! Well, to answer your question, I was telling of how I caught La Volpe pinning him. I saw them kiss, but Ezio attacked and got pinned, so I figured it wasn't willing and smashed a vase of flowers over his head. All better!"

"And this was yesterday? Why didn't he tell me?"

"Look at him, he is very prideful, do you think he is going to run to his love interest complaining about getting kissed against his will? I don't see that happening, the cretino has too much testosterone for that." Rosa flicked some of her hair off of her forehead in a huff and sighed, slumping over on the table.

Leonardo watched her breath, watched the delicate rise and fall of her nimble frame and reached out, running his finger tips curiously through her short hair. She sat up and stared at him, furrowing her brows. He ran a finger down in a line down on her jugular, cocking his head to the side when she suddenly pulled away. "Ezio! How good to see you again! I just remembered that Antonio needed me, I will see you later!"

She rushed past the assassin, head ducked low. The artist watched her curiously, but saw the look his friend's face and frowned. "Are you okay?"

The man shook his head angrily and spun around, heading for the window he had climbed through. Leonardo clambered to his feet and chased after the man, barely missing the arm he reached for and stumbling, getting caught by the wrist.

"Be more careful!" the white robed man hissed, jerking Leonardo to his feet. The older of the two paled and grasped the falling hand firmly.

"What is wrong? Did I do something to upset you?"

"No. Nothing at all!" He ripped his hand away, reaching to open the curtain. The engineer leaped in the way, arms outstretched.

"Then why have you come, just to leave again? Just talk to me!" The assassin scoffed and shoved past his friend, flinching as the other man hit the ground, but only pausing when he heard the shaking, sobbing breath. "You never tell me anything! You force me to tell you my upsets, but never return the courtesy! Why didn't you even tell me about La Volpe?!"

Ezio turned slowly, staring wide eyed at the man at his feet, the man who sat cradling his wrist and whimpering. He dropped to his knees and took the damaged hand gently, furrowing his eyebrows as he inspected that which he had inflicted. "Mi...mi dispiace. I did not mean to hurt you." He lowered his hood and carefully kissed the bruised knuckles, working his way to the purpling wrist. He lay his on the back of the hand that he held and ventured to ask. "How did you know about that? Was it Rosa?"

Leonardo nodded, refusing to meet his eyes. "She was just making conversation, please don't be angry with her." He felt the nod, more than saw it, and got an idea. "So, where did he touch you?" the painter asked, smirking devilishly.

Ezio grinned and leaned forward, whispering, "Everywhere." The two stared at each other from close proximity, trying to win. They didn't know what they were fighting for, or how they could possibly get the upper hand. After a few minutes, they burst out laughing, leaning their foreheads together, hugging in their mirth.

Their laughter faded to giggles, giggles to heavy breathing, arms tangled as they used the other for support. "Just your lips, right?" Leonardo asked once he had regained control.

"Leo," the assassin murmured, almost as if in warning. He was ignored as the elder slowly pressed his lips the other's. It was quick, chaste, but as the artist pulled away, he was roughly yanked back. Their lips crashed together bruisingly, breath hitched, the younger pressed the length of his body to the painter's, forcing their bodies straight.

"E-Ezio-" Leonardo cut in, separating, only to be forced back in. He held back a moan, opening his mouth to the questioning tongue. The artist stiffened as he felt his tunic loosen. He pushed away, falling on his hurt wrist and crying out.

He lay on the floor, panting and cringing. He was pulled into a set of strong arms, and he cuddled into the armor plated chest, resting his flushed cheek against the cold metal. He stared up at the assassin and smiled slowly as he was set down on the bed.

"I should go." Ezio whispered, standing straight. "That's twice that I've hurt you since I arrived." As he turned to leave, yet again, Leonardo grasped his ring finger.

He stumbled over his words before steeling himself for the worst, "It would be the most painful if you left now. The least you can do is help me wrap my wrist." He made the last request, pointing to the aid box on the bedside table. With a nod, the assassin fetched the case and opened it, retrieving the gauze and he paused. "Wrap a layer, tie it off, then get me a thin flat handled paint brush. Then we use the brush as a brace and wrap it under the next couple of layers." The work was finished with minimal pain, and afterwords, the younger tried to flee again.

"Do you have a mission?" Ezio shook his head, not meeting his friend's eyes. "Then please stay?" The assassin slowly sat on the edge of the bed and kept his gaze averted. They sat awkwardly for a few minutes, and when the artist could take no more, he brushed his good hand(left) down his friend's cheek. He watched the lines he traced, taking interest in the way the dark skin dented under the pressure, the way the big pulse in his neck quickened. Curiously, he ran agile fingers through the dark hair, amazed at how dry and brittle it was.

He dragged his fingertips down the back of the assassin's neck, reached under his collar, and pressed into the taught muscle there. He got to his knees and began to unclothe the younger man. Ezio gasped and grabbed the undamaged hand, looking at the artist as if he were insane.

"What are you doing?"

"What? I was distracted last time I saw you without clothes, I want to look." He stared innocently up at the flustered man, not registering the possible ulterior motive. He shrugged and kept unlacing the tunic. Once both layers were loose, the assassin shrugged out of them and watched apprehensively as his friend traced over his scars, light as butterflies.

Ezio flinched slightly as the artist drew a line down his hip, dipping a finger in his waist band. Moments later, he stood next to the bed in his underpants, blushing slightly. Suddenly, Leonardo's eyes lit up and he jumped to his feet, ran away, then came back with a braced canvas and some charcoal. He position the younger man on the bed, checked the angle, and pulled up a stool.

The assassin lay still and watched, interest piqued, as he was sketched. An hour later found an excited painter leaning over a sleeping Italian , debating on waking him to show off. His smile softened and he brushed some dark hair out of the peaceful and lay the canvas on the bedside table.

_-*-_-*-_

Ezio awoke in the early hours of the morning to find himself nearly naked, his head cradled in the lap of his best friend. He sat up slowly and stared at the sleeping face and smiled gratefully. He leaned forward and brushed the lightest of kisses to the small smile of the older man.

_-*-_-*-_

Leonardo woke up to the smell of eggs. He sat up groggily and winced as he attempted to put weight on his right hand. He looked at the bandaged appendage and slightly regretted drawing with it last night. He sighed and smiled, no, there was no regret, that was his most cherished image. His smile faded as realized that he should not have been alone, that he had fallen asleep in company.

Standing, he noticed Altair's armor on the floor and frowned. Was he alone? He ventured into the kitchen and stopped dead. The missing assassin stood over the flame top, cooking eggs. While the engineer watched, he squeezed an orange into a glass and smiled at his handiwork. He looked up and smiled wide at his audience. "Good morning! I went out and bought these, I didn't want to use yours."

Leonardo stared in awe and shook his head. "Um, thank you? What is this about?"

Ezio smiled again. "Well, one, the drawing was wonderful, I think I like myself a little better! Two, I wanted to thank you for being so sweet. You didn't wake me up when you finished, and I bet that wasn't a comfortable position to sleep in." He ducked his head sheepishly and let his smile fade as he carried out the plate.

"Where is yours?"

"Huh? Oh. I didn't want any. So I just made some for you." He set the plate down and sat on the opposite side of the table, waiting.

Leonardo sat slowly, watching suspiciously, "Why on earth are you acting like such a house wife? I'm worried." He picked up the fork and tried the eggs, smiling slightly when he tried them. "You've never cooked before." he observed, holding back a laugh.

The assassin ducked his head and nodded. "That obvious?" The two laughed as the artist finished his breakfast.

He stood, picking up the empty dishes, "Obvious, but still good. Grazie." He leaned over and lay a peck on his friend's cheek.

_-*-_-*-_

Ezio smiled as he flew from roof to roof, on his way "home". His artist friend had told him that the door (or window) was always open and he could essentially live with him. He stopped on the door step and frowned. The door stood wide open, which was careless, even for the painter. He crept inside, eyes sweeping over the mess. The workshop appeared to have been robbed. He tiptoed further in, glaring at the blood on the floor. Leonardo was a pacifist, there was no way that this _wasn't _his blood.

The assassin searched the entire building, finding no sign of his missing love. He growled at approaching footsteps and spun, hidden blade loosing. He stopped, blade barely missing La Volpe's nose.

"Not now, La Volpe, I don't have time for your harassment."

"Well, I guess I won't tell you where your man is then." He smirked at the look on the young man's face. "Let's make a deal. Spend a night with me and I will put an end to the hanging tomorrow morning."

"Hanging? They are going to hang him?"

"Unless they find him innocent, yes. Private charge, they don't know, so they cannot very well tell. They just pretend they know why they have been ordered to legally kill a man."

"What night?"

"I knew you would see things my way. Your payment starts now."

**Author Notes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

G1: I know La Volpe is a good man, but he looks like a creeper. So I make him a creeper. As god of this fic, I see nothing wrong with my decision.

Kitti: Me. Sleep. Now.

G1: Thank you to the 3 wonderful reviewers!!!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Desynched**

**Gothic 1**

G1: Wow. I'm really into this story! I've started writing this chapter, only 2 minutes after posting the last one!

Kitti: She has also been driving me nuts, listening to the same song over and over and over and over an- *runs away*

G1: LOL! I love doing that to her! 再见！！！

**Chapter 4**

Ezio lay on the floor of the workshop, naked, cold, pissed. La Volpe had spared no time in undressing him, beating the shit out of him when he put up a fight, and raping him. Blood had long since dried on his backside, and all he could do was lay and twitch in pain. If he failed to stop the hanging, he would die!

Shuffling caught his attention and he stiffened at the gasp. Rosa and Antonio dropped to the floor next to him, asking him questions: What had happened, who had done it, was he okay, et cetra.

He took a shaky breath breath and proceeded to explain. The thieves stared at each other over him and shook their heads. "Leonardo is fine. You have been tricked. Someone broke in, cut Ugo, who was here with Rosa, and ran. Ugo chased him down and killed him, and Rosa brought Leonardo to us. He is at the palazzo."

Ezio narrowed his eyes and roared in pain as he attempted to sit up. A gash on his chest throbbed from the outburst, and the tears on his backside started bleeding again. He slumped over on Rosa and lay panting, curled in a ball.

"Antonio, we have to move him, before Leonardo gets here. Sister Teodora said she would bring him a few minutes behind us." The two nodded, excused their actions before hand, and grasped him firmly under the arms, dragging him to his feet. They pulled the man into the wash closet and set him in the empty tub. They drew a bath and helped him wash away the blood.

The three stilled as Leonardo announced his presence. "My clothes," Ezio whispered, his heart sinking. Antonio ran from the room, in hopes of making it first, but his foots steps quickly ceased. There was a hurried exchange of words before the artist started yelling.

After a heated debate, Antonio returned, a very angry and worried painter at his heals. Leonardo's eyes immediately found the gash on his love's chest.

"I saw your clothes," his voice was almost inaudible. "Are you okay? Why were you disrobed in my workshop?"

Ezio stared helplessly at the older man, then turned to look pointedly at the thieves. They took the hint and left. The assassin didn't speak until he heard the other three leave the building entirely. He explained the why he had been naked, how he got cut, where all the bruises had come from.

The engineer sat on the stool and nodded along, silent until the end. "And you gave up and let him finish...because?"

The younger stared up at his friend, tears stinging his eyes. "I thought I was going to lose you. I came here and saw the mess, he came in, he told me you were arrested and to be hanged in the morning, and if I slept with him he would save you!" Tears flowed freely as he yelled this, shoulders shaking. "I-I couldn't bear the thought and accepted immediately! I-" His words were cut off as another stab of pain made him fall back into the tub, which caused more pain in his rear.

Leonardo stripped down and stepped into the tub as well. He took the crying killer in his arms and rocked him gently, shushing him and whispering in his ear lovingly. They stayed like that till the water went cold, then they ventured to the bedroom, shivering and still naked.

_-*-_-*-_

The night was long, sleepless, and full of tension. Ezio wanted to touch Leonardo, but felt wrong, and Leonardo wanted to touch Ezio, but thought it was too soon after such an experience to make a move. The lay facing each other, curious of their boundaries. The assassin sighed and rolled onto his stomach, folding his arms under his head. He had no idea what to say or do, but knew that sleep would never come to him the way things were going.

"Leo," he asked, keeping his eyes on the wall in front of him, "would you be mad if I hugged you?" He was so unsure of himself, he felt womanly for asking!

But the artist merely smiled and sat up, opening his arms. The younger also sat up and pulled the other man into his arms, holding him tightly to his chest. Leonardo sighed and nuzzled in, feeling the corded muscles tighten under his touch as he ran his fingers over them.

Ezio pulled away and stared down at the older man, expression unreadable as he lowered his face, allowing himself a quick brush of lips. They stared into each other's eyes and the assassin moved in again, prolonging the kiss as much as possible.

The artist stifled a moan as he was lowered onto the bed, the younger man laying on top of him. Pale hands roamed up tan skin, tracing memorized scares and muscles, eliciting small gasps. Ezio pulled away and stared down at the older man in amazement.

No words would come to either of them, so they just continued their "exploration".

_-*-_-*-_

Rosa climbed through the window and stopped dead. She smirked at he sight: Two grown men, stark naked, curled around each other tightly. She stepped on to the floor and padded silently to the pair, only to find a dagger ay her throat. She gulped and smiled weakly down at Ezio, who was crouched protectively over his lover.

The assassin sighed and sat back, lying back down around his groggy mate and pulling the covers up. The thief glared and sat on the edge of the bed. "Somebody get busy last night?" She asked, poking Leonardo in the butt.

The artist squeaked and sat up, shaking his tangled hair out of his eyes. "Um...No. Not on our first official night!" He sounded indignant, and the blush did not help his case.

"Uh-huh, I'm sure!" Rosa said, smiling evilly.

The painter opened his mouth to fight back, but his lover wrapped a strong arm around his almost dainty shoulders and pulled back down, pulling the blanket up to their chins. Rosa stared in amazement.

"So you really didn't do it?"

Ezio shook his head into his love's neck and spoke, voice low and gravelly with sleep, "No, we didn't. Circumstances called for a lack of such intimacy." He said the last while showing a bruise and lifting the artist's bandaged hand. Once finished, he began to snuggle again.

Leonardo's cheeks burned as he smiled up at the thief, he was so overwhelmed with happiness, it felt like such a dream! She smiled and knelt down next to the bed, leaning her head on her arms.

"Finally," she whispered, poking a bruise on Ezio's arm, earning a grunt. "You know, we have all been waiting for this since you two arrived. I think we knew you guys were in love before you did!"

The engineer went rigid and stared intently at the wall over Rosa's shoulder. "Wait, you guys haven't professed love to each other yet?!" She sat straight, frowning, "Great! Now I gotta get you guys to admit, and commit!"

"Commit?" Ezio asked, raising onto his elbow, figuring he wasn't allowed to go back to sleep.

"The best sin of all! You two need to show your commitment to each other by going all the way!" she sat up proudly, puffing out her chest.

The pair stared at her, not sure of what to say. Leonardo looked back at his lover and couldn't help but smile. The idea of doing more than kiss and cuddle seemed odd, but too appealing to be a possibility.

Ezio met the blue eyes and kissed the corner of those upturned lips. "Well," he whispered huskily, "that sounds rather...tempting." The painter's lips quivered, his smile faltering. He turned away, trying to hide the creeping blush and change of expression, but he could never hide from the man.

The assassin glanced meaningfully at Rosa, who stuttered that she would wait downstairs and left. He sat up further, towering over the slightly smaller man. "Do you not wish to become intimate with me?" Golden eyes darkened slightly, "am I not appealing in that way?"

"Mio Dio! That is not it!" Leonardo sat up abruptly, lips quivering as he searched for the words. "I am just worried! I have been charged of sodomy in the past, and I barely got off! I would not like for us to be killed! I should think that you wouldn't either." He stared down at the sheets, knowing there was more to it than that, but not being able to put it into words.

Ezio closed his eyes and slumped over onto his lover. "Mi dispiace, Leo. I would just like to have that with you. Not now, but eventually." He nuzzled a pale cheek and sighed. "I just think that it would be too hard to hold myself back for long."

They stayed like that for a few minutes, then decided not to leave their guest waiting too much longer. They dressed with their backs to each other, still not completely sure of their boundaries.

**AUTHOR NOTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

G1: I'm only ending here for lack of a better option. I feel like my writing is going stale, so I will start on Chapter 5 tomorrow at school.

Kitt: You mean while you are supposed to be doing Chinese?

G1: …....Um......No........Uh........I NEED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Desynched**

**Gothic 1**

G1: GODS!!! I love all of you! You make me feel so good that I started writing early! You inspire me!

Kitti: Cut it out! I'll be out of a job! This is so weird, she normally never updates! Just check her first two stories!

G1: I might announce them on hiatus..... Sadly enough....That, or I might abandon them.

**Chapter 5**

Rosa sat on the work table with her legs crossed, explaining her presence. She told them of a man who crept in the shadows, killing off the thieves, pulling political strings. Ezio sat in his assassin whites, face blank as he listened to what was obviously to be his next mission.

Leonardo sat on the floor in front of his love's chair, between his legs, arms wrapped around a muscular calf. He glanced up at the steely expression and felt part of himself shiver. The cold of the killing side was almost burning.

The she-thief finished her briefing and hopped off the table. "We already tried and failed at his life, so he will be heavily guarded. I wish I could tell you where to find him, but he isn't even in Venezia anymore." She watched the blank face carefully, knowing she wouldn't find anything there, and turned to leave. She paused on her way out as she heard Leonardo's voice shake with worry.

"You are leaving here?" Rosa sighed and stepped through the door. The artist stared up at the icy assassin and felt his heart sink. There was no way to reach him when he was like that.

Ezio stood and nodded, pulling his leg free and reaching for his armor. He stopped as a smaller hand, permanently stained from years of art and engineering. He turned to his lover and shook his head and turning back to his breast plate. Leonardo stood back and watched, feeling wounded.

"So, we are finally together and now you leave? On an extremely dangerous mission, nonetheless!"

"Well, what do you want, huh? Somebody has to do it!" The assassin bellowed, spinning and glaring.

"Why you?!" The artist yelled back, tears stinging his eyes.

Ezio saw the sparkle of sadness and slumped his shoulders. "I'm the only one who can," he whispered, fastening his bracer securely. "And as such, it is my responsibility to take care of the problem," he stole a quick kiss before lifting his hood. "I will return as soon as I am finished."

_-*-_-*-_

Days passed slowly, slipping into weeks, turning into months without word. Leonardo spent his days at the easel, drowning his sorrows in paint, forcing himself to ignore the lingering pain. He spent every night on the window sill, looking out into the night, praying for a flash of white or a tap on the glass. Antonio and Rosa came to visit daily, watching him paint, watching him suffer. He hid everything from them, made it look like this was just a two day mission on replay. All was fine, he had the world fooled, when he got an unexpected visitor.

La Volpe stood in the doorway, hood shrouding his face. The artist stared up in awe, wondering what this terrible man could possibly want. He gulped and it came to him.

"You're late, what if they decided to hang me on time?" His voice dripped with venom as he stepped aside with a flourish, allowing the man entry.

He was ignored, which upset him. He leaned against the closed door with his arms crossed. Rosa, who sat next to the easel, stood in a defensive position, eyes narrowing at the rapist. Leonardo cleared his throat, finally earning notice. "What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy? I have many commissions to finish."

La Volpe spun around fully and grabbed the painter's high collar, face rent in rage. Rosa leaped forward and pressed a dagger to his throat, snarling as she slowly led him backwards. He let go of the smaller man and put his hands up, still glaring.

After a few minutes of cool-time La Volpe was ready to state his purpose, violently. He sat calmly and stared at the engineer, "I heard that Ezio left over three months ago. And you just _let_ him go. He might be dead and here you sit, playing with your toys and brushes." He flicked a carving knife distastefully at the last.

Leonardo sat still, staring blindly. He stood slowly, picking up a scalpel as he strode forward, his eyes glazed. He stepped in front of the dark man and leaned in, tears glistening. "I _begged_ him not to leave," he whispered, then in a flash stabbed the surgical knife into the man's right hand, severing a metacarpal or two.

La Volpe howled in pained anguish and reached for the blade, which the painter dug in deeper. "How _dare_ you show concern for him after what you did?! Do you think you will help _anything _by coming here and tormenting me?!" The artist was screaming, tears flowing freely down his cheeks. He wrenched the scalpel out of the bleeding hand and drew his arm back, aiming at the throat when two dainty hands folded gently around his fist.

He dropped the knife and turn to Rosa, wailing as he collapsed into her arms. "I _need_ him! W-where _is_ he?!"

_-*-_-*-_

Leonardo lay in his bed, curled in Rosa's lap, whimpering. His violent break down earlier was aching in the thief's mind. She ran lithe fingers through his soft hair and repressed a sigh. He had posed such a good question, and her lack of answer as to the assassin's whereabouts had only made matters worse. She stared solemnly at his face, tear tracked and pale.

Antonio sat in a chair opposite the bed, staring at his clasped hands in anguish. He had been the one to assign this dreaded mission. He only gave it away to get rid of it, to avoid doing it himself, and now the young artist was an emotional wreck.

_-*-_-*-_

Leonardo climbed onto his roof and stared out into the night. All was quiet, the world still, as he let silent tears fall. Whereas he had grown accustomed to searching for signs, he had instead given up hope and spent his last two weeks in mourning. Two weeks of having given up on the thought that his new lover might be alive, and he hadn't touched a brush. He avoided anything that made him think of Ezio, the thieves, art, even his own house was too painful. So he stayed on the roof, a place that just _felt _like his love, but he had never seen him there.

Night after night, he sat in the same spot, overlooking the silent city streets. Every waking moment was spent staring at a half finished portrait of the man he presumed dead or stationed on the shingles.

Another month had Leonardo back to work, finishing his long overdue commissions with an energy he never thought he would have again. He was on his way back to the workshop after dropping off a box of paintings when a small group passed talking about the man in white that had bumped into them.

His heart raced, his eyes flooding, as he ran through the crowded streets, shoving between people, earning scolds and yells, but he didn't care. His eyes were glued wide as he burst into his home. He stopped dead, glancing from one puddle of blood to the next. He carefully closed the door behind himself and silently walked in.

He slowly rounded a corner to the stairs and gasped as a blade flew at his face from behind a curtain. He froze as the blood covered white-clad arm drooped. He leaned forward and lifted the curtain, worried.

Ezio looked up, one eye closed to shield from the blood that was oozing from somewhere under his hair. His bottom lip was split down the middle and purple bruise was blossoming across his right cheek. His clothes were torn all over, covered in blood, gashes showed through, the frayed fabrics clinging to the open wounds.

Leonardo's lips quivered as he stared at his love. He reached out and pulled the crouching man up, unbelieving that he had returned to him. They hugged loosely, the assassin hanging half limp in his lover's arms. After their brief embrace the artist took as much of the younger man's weight as he could and pulled him gently to the wash closet.

The wounded man leaned heavily on the rim of the sink and allowed himself to be stripped. The engineer drew a shallow bath and helped Ezio climb in. He gently dabbed at the wounds, cleaning them and washing away all of the dried blood. During his work, the assassin's eye began to droop and he drifted into a sleep filled with moans and twitches. Once all of the gashes were wrapped and the tub was drained, Leonardo sat back on the floor, resting his arms on the edge and his chin on his wrist, and watched his love sleep.

His breathing was shallow, his face flushed, and he kept muttering. He thrashed briefly and sat bolt upright and grabbed the painter by his throat. He breathed heavily, calming, realizing where he was and letting go abruptly.

"Leo!" Ezio cried balefully, pulling the older man back up, rubbing the already forming bruise on the delicate neck he had just violated. He leaned forward and kissed the discoloration gently at first, then with fervor. The engineer leaned his head back and barely held down a moan. He slowly raised his hands, placing them on the bare, muscled shoulders. He tapped his fingers rhythmically and slid them up the strong neck, onto tanned cheeks, and into course hair, where he tangled them in, pulling down on his lover.

Painfully slow, the assassin pulled away and kissed his love's jaw. He made his way up to parted lips and kissed feverishly. Ezio stood slowly and stumbled over the edge of the tub, barely managing not to break the kiss. He pressed his naked body to the older man's, eliciting a moan, precisely the response he was looking for.

The two stumbled to the bedroom, laughing with their lips pressed together. On the way, Leonardo constantly found himself suddenly wearing less than he remembered, but ended up deciding he was too lust/love-drunk to have noticed anything. He was forcefully backed into a cold wall, which made him gasp and recoil slightly. The assassin simply chuckled and pinned the smaller man's arms above his head on the wall with one hand, using his free hand to massage a certain stiff area.

The artist threw his head back, eyes wide and watering as he arched into the calloused hand. Ezio chuckled into the pale flesh of his shoulder and bit down softly. He suckled and worried the skin between his teeth, moving his hand to grind in. The two stayed, naked against the wall, kissing, sucking, and grinding until the younger regained himself somewhat.

"I-" he murmured, pulling back, only to yanked down again, "Leo, I think we should stop. This has already gone too far." He allowed himself to be reeled back in by his lover, playing along, but giving verbal resistance. "If you don't stop now, then I won't until I'm done," he whispered into the mouth pressed against his own.

Leonardo nodded eagerly and raked his nails down the muscular back, earning a deep, guttural groan. They stumbled back to the bed and fell onto it, not allowing themselves to be bothered with sheets and formalities. Ezio found himself pinned and nibbled the painter's bottom lip. The two men stared at each other and smiled.

The elder allowed himself to be slowly lowered to the bed and mounted. He traced feather light finger tips over dark hips and smiled at the shiver. He raised up and helped Ezio get into position. Their eyes met again, then the assassin looked down, concentrating on holding back so as not to hurt his love as he slowly slid in without lubrication.

Leonardo gritted his teeth, but bared with it, knowing the pleasure to come. Once the younger was sheathed inside, he leaned forward for a kiss and slowly pumped his hips. As he moved gently, the artist began to moan, encouraging him to go faster.

Ezio grunted as he started to thrust harder, and soon the two were rocking at a quick pace, moans rising into the fading light of the evening.

"L-Leo-" the assassin groaned, licking a wet line over his collar bone. Leonardo arched his back and ran his nails roughly over muscles, anywhere he could. They moved in a heavy rhythm, their voices rising as they progressed.

"Ezio!" the smaller man screamed, biting down on the tanned shoulder before him, drawing blood. The world began to grow fuzzy as the engineer's eyes filled with tears at the sheer pleasure. "I-I'm gonna-" He was cut off by the sudden presence of scarred lips and he came, followed closely by the man above him.

They collapsed on the bed, Ezio still buried deep inside, and panted. Leonardo blushed at the sticky substance that covered his stomach, wishing there was a better way to do that, and blushing harder when he realized it coated the his love as well. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, ducking his head before he could get a response.

The assassin leaned up on his elbows and frowned. "Why? Did you not enjoy it? I did," he leaned in for a kiss, only to miss and get the sweat covered sheets.

"No...I just made such a terrible mess is all."

He stared incredulously at his lover and burst out laughing. He slowly pulled out and bent down, licking a line of stomach clean of the fluids. "Delicious," he whispered seductively, looking up between licks. "Oh, Leo, don't blush. I like it! It proves that I did a good job."

"A fantastic job! Amazing! Words can't describe!" The artist prattled on, throwing up his arms in exaggeration, praising the laughing assassin.

"Okay, I get it! You want to do this again soon," he laughed again as the blush returned. They got up after a few minutes of teasing back and forth to clean off, drawing another bath. They sat in that bath for hours, splashing and laughing, kissing and joking.

**Author's Notes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

G1: This took longer than I thought it would, but I love this chapter.

Kitti: She is gonna take a break for a while, in order to catch up on her AP Lit class.

G1: I will start on chapter 6 as soon as I possibly can, but I am behind in Lit and Chinese. I am in love with this story and I have every intention of keeping it going, so don't get too upset that my updates are going to be getting slower.

Kitti: We do love all of you, not just the very few reviewers, but the people that keep favoriting Gothie and this story.

G1: Have fun, and I hope to hear from you!!! LOVE!!!!


	6. Chapter 6

**Desynched**

**Gothic 1**

G1: Okay, it's 1/30/10, and I am starting writing! Let's see how long it takes me to get this up!

Kitti: As fast as you can! MUSH!!!

G1: I'm typing, I'm typing!!!!

**Chapter 6**

_Ezio growled and glared up at the surrounding Templars. They group laughed down at his bloodied form and checked the manacles. Piero De'Medici snarled down at him distastefully and paced in circles. "I do not understand why my father kept you in service! He had no imagination, no incentive! Why didn't he just throw you away and kneel before the Pazzi?"_

_ He spun on his heal and spat into the assassin's face, earning a low growl. Piero glowered at the man jerked his head to a guard, who promptly stepped forward and kicked his in the gut, letting out a guffaw at the responding crunch. "Do with him as you will," ordered the traitor as he strode from the room._

_ The men laughed as they stepped forward, some of them adjusting their "pieces" as they stared down at their captive. _

_ "I hear that he has a little friend back at his home! Shall we beat the name out of him and visit the man he protects?" Ezio saw red and strained against his bonds, lashing out as best he could, screaming wordlessly at the cretins._

_ He grunted as a plated boot met his chest, sending him to his back. He stared up the length of a blade and snarled, baring his blood-pinked teeth. "You know, he's a fag, and he ain't to bad himself! Why don't we give the little queer what he likes best?" The five men laughed between themselves and looked down at him menacingly._

_ Ezio drew back his lips and yelled. He called despairingly for his love. "Leo!" He struggled is vain and jerked back as his hood was pulled down._

_ "Nice eyes, full lips, good catch, all in all," the head guard sat on one foot as he gripped the younger man's chin roughly. Tears hit the young man's eyes as his fate dawned on him. He was die, but only after having his dignity shred to pieces. He would be violated for a second time and never even get to see his lover again._

_ The men beat him as they tore away at the white robes, their breathing quickening. The assassin kept repeating his lover's name, his screams dieing to pitiful whimpers as he was fondled and penetrated._

__-*-_-*-__

Ezio sat up and yelled hoarsely, flailing his arms, dragging his nails across his owns sweat covered skin, ripping away at his arms. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks as he slowly shook off the memory. He gasped for air as his head cleared and pulled the sheets down, standing and promptly throwing a knife as the door opened. Claudia gasped, widening her eyes at the small blade embedded in the wall.

"Brother, I heard..." she trailed off as she caught sight of the bloody ribbons of flesh that barely clung to the man's arms. "What did you do to yourself?!" She cried out, rushing forward and fluttering her fingers over the wounds, unsure of what to do.

The assassin stared blankly down at his sister and brushed past her, on his way to the "shower". He stood under the light rain and hissed as he ripped off the bits of hanging flesh and dropped them into the water. He sighed and lowered his head, closing his eyes under the stream. He raised his face to the hot water and screamed into it, allowing it to muffle him.

He had moved back to Monterrigioni in hopes of avoiding telling Leonardo what had happened to him. The man was concerned by the regular nightmares and figured out that they were memories of capture, but could not get any information. Ezio blatantly refused to tell anyone about his experience, La Volpe's betrayal was one thing, but to be gang raped like that...

"Stronzo," he muttered to himself as he dragged his fingernails through an open wound, growling as he pulled more flesh from his own arm. He sighed and dropped his hands to his side. Leonardo was going to kill him when he saw that. He stepped out of the spray of the natural fall that he used for bathing and shivered. The fall was a leak from the hot spring that he and his uncle had dug up for Claudia and Maria.

He leaned down and picked up his towel and wrapped it around his waist. He trudged back up to the villa, watching his feet. Ezio stiffened and looked up, meeting the wide eyes of Leonardo de Vinci. The pair stared at each other in awe.

"Leo," the assassin whispered, reaching out and stepping forward. The artist marched forward and slapped the naked man across the face. He stood, head turned to the side, unable to comprehend what had just transpired.

"What in God's name have you done to yourself?!" The elder man stood, body rigid, fists clenched, tears welling in his eyes. "I allow you to leave because you say it will help you, and you bring harm to yourself?!"

"No, Leo, you don't understand," Ezio whispered, reaching forward with shaking hands. Leonardo stepped out of reach and glared. "They...to me...I..." the words alluded him and he found himself on his knees, eyes wide to avoid the threatening tears. He sat, quivering, his towel splitting open at the thigh. He stared at the slowly dripping blood on his arms and looked back up. He, more than anything, had not wanted to tell anyone about the terrors that Piero had inflicted upon him.

The artist thawed and knelt next to his love. "What could possibly make you so fragile?" he asked, voice hardly audible. Ezio whimpered and fell into the other man's lap, crying all out, crying as he had not in years.

_-*-_-*-_

Leonardo sat on the edge of the desk and watched his assassin's mouth move as the story fell from those scared lips. The younger man could not bring himself to tell further than the rape. He lowered his head to his love's shoulder and sighed in relief as long finger's graced his neck, stroking the muscle there. They stood in silence, pondering reactions. The artist gently pushed Ezio away, causing him to whimper, thinking that he was being rejected. He folded in on himself, only to be pushed into a wall. He gasped and went rigid as soft lips pressed urgently to his.

The elder held him tight and kissed him longingly. He moved passionate wet lips down a thick line, meeting the collar bone and biting gently. He smirked at the answering moan and bit harder, pulling the soft flesh into his mouth and sucking, rolling it between his teeth.

Ezio gasped and bucked forward, fingers gliding over the silky tunic, unsure. Yes, he had returned and made love to this man, but they had been so in the moment, so euphoric, that no thoughts had passed through his head. The only message was a resounding: _I need this man! _And he had, but then he awoke with the realization that he was dirty, that he would never be clean enough to be with the artist.

Leonardo sensed the returning hesitation and slowly released the bruising skin. "Why didn't you tell me in the first place? Did you think that I would love you any less?" he inquired, forcefully nuzzling into the strong neck and rubbing his nose along the clenched jaw. He planted a kiss there and smiled ruefully. "I could only love you more. You need me, I know you wont say it, but you do," the engineer pulled back slightly and kissed the tip of the crooked nose, smiling gently, "and I will always be here for you, no matter how hard you push or how far you run. I agree, what they did to you was terrible, but they did it, not you. Why should you punish yourself for their actions?"

The two men stared at each other and the younger suddenly burst into tears. He unwound his arms and cupped his hands over his eyes, attempting to ball up, but his lover would not have it. The pacifistic painter growled and forced the taller man to lean back against the wall. He wrenched the scarred hands away and kissed ferociously at the tears.

"Please-Ezio-I-Love-You-Calm-Down-You-Are-Going to-Make-Yourself-Sick!" he demanded between kisses. The sobs ebbed slowly and the assassin raised his head, meeting the concerned eyes of his love. Seconds felt like hours, and he was drowning in a sea of blue. The world went dark and all was right with the world.

Ezio slowly lay back on the "stashable" makeshift bed in his room and smiled up at the man that slowly lowered himself on top. They kissed in long drags, hands roaming slowly, exploring familiar crevices, but avoiding "those" spots.

_-*-_-*-_

Claudia stared sadly at the floor and nodded in understanding, her brother had been acting so strangely, and rightly so. Her ear pricked, was that what she thought it was? Did Leonardo Da Vinci just profess love to her older brother? She gasped and stepped back, covering her mouth and grinning slightly. She pressed her ear back to the door and frowned, since when did Ezio cry? Wet smacking sounds and pleads, then silence.

Claudia rocked back on her heals in flustered wonder, but couldn't contain herself and returned to eavesdropping. She grinned, but her expression slowly faded as she heard the squeak of the bed. All was silent, but there was no way to be sure. She frowned and listened closer, but to no avail.

Either way, Uncle Mario would have to wait to assign that mission of his, she was _not _about to interrupt that!

_-*-_-*-_

"You know Leo, I may be acting like a woman right now, but I will _not _be acting as such after this. Not ever again," Ezio murmured from his place on the elder's chest. He laughed softly and looked up, a small and genuine smile gracing his lips for the first time in what felt like decades. Leonardo smiled too and ran slim fingers through those dark, wiry locks, stared into those pale golden eyes, and felt at peace.

"I do not care who is acting as what, so long as it is I who holds you," the two smiled lovingly and leaned in for a kiss, but Ezio was suddenly on one knee in the bed, a dagger drawn from nowhere, staring at the door. It opened slowly to reveal a very angry Mario Auditore. The man strode into the room and grabbed his nephew's arm. He glared at the new damage and threw the younger assassin into a nearby wall.

Leonardo jumped to his knees and opened his mouth to yell when a young woman rushed in and grabbed her uncle's upraised fist.

"Uncle Mario! Hitting him will not undo what has been done! You will only make it worse!" she shrieked as she was tossed to the floor. The artist dropped down next to her and fastened a sheet around his naked frame before checking the arm that she cradled. He looked over to his naked lover, who was using his already wounded arms to deflect hits.

"You have broken her wrist," he spoke loudly, a hidden air of command in his voice as he stared at the back of the violent man. Mario paused and looked over his shoulder at his crying niece. He cursed under his breath and knelt down next to her, carefully taking to crooked limb and staring it over. "I can set it and wrap it, but I will need bandages and a very slim stick to put in to hold her wrist in place," the artist said, his voice almost a whisper.

Ezio slowly crawled to his feet and slipped into his breeches before limping from the room to retrieve the requested items. "So why such violent anger, Maestro Auditore? Is it his new found sexual preference?"

"No, and yet yes. He needs a child. If he stays with you he cannot have children, but he is the last hope of our name being passed on. I was also outraged by Claudia's report of what had happened to him while he was away. I just lost it, I apologize for giving you such a terrible first impression," the man said, wiping sweat from the mentioned girl's forehead. Ezio reentered and sat down on the other side of his sister, cooing as he passed the bandages and stick over to the engineer.

"This will hurt more than you want to know," he said softly, taking the bruised hand and snapping it back in place. He was shocked at the muffled scream and turned to find her teeth clamped around her brother's arm, blood bubbling up from her lips. If it had hurt him, Ezio didn't show it, he just stared down at her, proud at her strength. Leonardo smile slightly and bandaged up her wrist, set in the stick, and bandaged over it.

"You will not want to use this for a long time," he told her, gently patting her knuckles. Claudia nodded and sat up, releasing the mangled arm and grimacing at the taste of blood. Leonardo ripped off part of the sheet he wore and handed it to her to wipe her face. He then dragged Ezio over the wash basin they had used on his arms earlier and cleaned out the ring of teeth prints. The indents were more than perfect, they went in worryingly deep. The assassin smiled down at the marks and looked up.

"She really is an Auditore!"

**AUTHOR NOTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

G1: Well, this took me longer to write than I thought it would! Oh well, 'cause it;s done, up, and ready for your enjoyment!

Kitti: And just a footnote, there was no sex in this chapter, so don't misunderstand.

G1: Also, someone who was "just trying to be helpful" was very kind in attempting to correct my previous sex scene, about the pain of anal without lube.

Kitti: We understand this very well, that's why she mentioned Leo bearing with the pain, knowing of the pleasure to follow.

G1: But thank you anyway. See, my uncle is gay, and told me of his one try at anal, which he says he will never do again, so I do know very well how it works. I just didn't want to wrote about how "Leonardo squirmed in agonized discomfort under his lover." That just didn't appeal to me...

Kitti: Anyway, we love you all, and this was intended to be a light-hearted response to a helpful review, so please don't take it as we were offended.

G1: I was actually very flattered that someone was willing to tell me that, I must not have made it very clear and I apologize.

Kitti: Thanks again and we look forward to hearing from you!

再见


	7. Chapter 7

**Desynched**

**Gothic 1**

G1: I am oh so very excited! I posted Chapter 6, reread my story, frowned at my dyslexic typos, and decided to go ahead and start chapter 7!

Kitti: Isn't she nuts?!

G1: ONWARD!!!!!!!!!

**Chapter 7**

Leonardo and Claudia sat nervously next to each other on the bench in the villa courtyard, attempting small talk while they waited for the two assassins to finish discussing Ezio's predicament.

"So...You are my brother's...Lover?" the girl was trying not to stare, but wanted so bad to look the attractive man over. He saw this and smiled, standing up and spreading his arms to give her a better look. He wore the shirt that Ezio had discarded earlier and blushed slightly at his naked thighs. She looked him up and down and smiled appreciatively. His face darkened even more and he stared down at his feet. "Oh, do not do that! You are too pretty to hide! But do not fret, you belong to my brother. While I enjoy the view, I will not try to pass at a man who is spoken for."

Leonardo smiled shyly and sat back down, folding his hands in his lap. He opened his mouth to speak as the door opened, revealing two upset assassins.

"Leo, what do you think of me shacking up with some woman in order to pass on my blood?"

The artist choked on his words and let his jaw drop, "Run that by me one more time?"

"Can I cheat on you? I promise my heart won't be in it, it will just be a quick bang. I won't even tell you where or when, but you'll eventually know who."

Mario glared and stepped forward. "You make it sound so bad, nipote! It is nothing," he growled, shrugging.

The four stood in silence, all pondering different hings on the same topic.

"If it is absolutely necessary, I consent."

All yes were on Leonardo as he stared at the backs of his fists in his lap. Ezio opened his mouth and was silenced by a slender finger pressed to his lips.

"I'm sorry," the artist mumbled as he turned and shoved past the two men.

Claudia jumped up and ran after the man, her eyes wide with worry. When he stood to silence her brother a single tear dropped onto the back of her hand. He hid in his hair to cry without being seen. She tapped lightly on the door and frowned at the lack of response, pushing it open slowly. Leonardo stood in the middle of the room, shirtless now, and tying up his breaches and he struggled to see through his clouded eyes.

"Oh, no, don't do that!" she hollered, racing forward and embracing the man as he collapsed, cupping his hands over his face. She sat on her knees and pulled his head into her neck and rocked him slowly, rubbing circles on his back.

"I-it's not that I don't understand, I know this needs to happen, but I didn't know it would be so soon! I-I know this has to be done, that there is no other way, but I will n-never like it," he buried his face into the soft flesh and sighed, relaxing completely into his love's little sister.

Ezio stood in the doorway, watching helplessly, eyes soft with hurt. "Leo," he whispered, stepping forward, as if on eggshells. "I'm going to leave soon, may I please speak with you alone?"

The pair on the floor separated slowly. Claudia climbed to her feet and ran her fingers through soft blonde hair before departing. The elder man stay in his place, not looking up. The assassin knelt down and sighed.

"Zio Mario says that now would be an appropriate time to go and just get this over with. Shall I tell you who I have chosen?" Leo nodded slowly and sniffed. "Rosa. She will understand."

"But she will not like carrying a child," the two stared at each other ruefully when the younger pulled his love into a strong embrace.

"I do not revel in the idea of sleeping with another, but as you said, it is necessary," Ezio stood up and turned away, pulling up his hood. "I will come back here in about a week to fetch you. Wait for me please."

He left without another word and Claudia promptly reentered. She plopped down in front of the man, taking his face in her hands and whispering a quick string of Italian in his ear. He slowly put his hands on her wrists and stared at her. Her silvery brown eyes flashed over his features and she leaned in, capturing his pale lips.

He pulled away immediately and watched her closely, unsure now, "Claudia, I-" She slipped a finger over his lips and grimaced.

"I know you have Ezio, but he now has Rosa. He will have her multiple times and then return to you like nothing happened. Why should you be the only one in pain?" The young woman ran her fingers through the golden locks and leaned back in. Leonardo tried to pull from her again, only to land on his back and get pinned.

"Please," he whispered, "I don't want to hurt you, please stop."

"You won't harm me," her voice was soft and hushing as she ran butterfly light kisses over his face. He lay stiff under her, reveling in the feeling of a woman, of being touched and appreciated by someone smaller and more dainty than he. She licked a line down the muscle in his neck and he groaned, arching slightly.

He growled at her and took full advantage of their size difference. The ever gentle artist flipped over, roughly kissing and grinding his hips. Claudia moaned and ripped at the man's breeches as he tore the lacing out of the front of her bodice. A few minutes later they lay on the floor, naked and panting.

The lady raised her knees and urged Leonardo forward. He positioned and paused. "I can't," he whispered, pushing himself up, and yelling hoarsely when the young woman below him growled and grabbed his buttocks, lifting herself and slamming his member into herself. She hissed at the pain but rocked her hips anyway, arousing the man further.

Unable to restrain any longer, the engineer thrust roughly, pounding as hard as he could and reveling in the screams that tore from Claudia's throat. He bit her pulse and drove deeper, pausing to grind a little. He smirked at her responding moan and pulled most of the way out, slamming back in as hard as he could. He growled as she raked her nails down his back, drawing blood in thick lines. They both screamed as they climaxed, collapsing onto the floor, panting.

Leonardo whimpered slightly and sat up, pulling out and reaching for his breeches with a shaky hand. He dressed slowly, unable to look at the quivering girl on the floor beside him. "I am so sorry. I lost control. This should not have happened," his voice shook as the tears threatened to return. What had he done? Ezio had only just left and he had already turned to infidelity!

Claudia sat up and ran her fingers up and down his arms, cooing. The artist sighed and stood up, snatching his shirt from the bed, and strode from the room. He paced around the courtyard, muttering under his breath.

"How could I do that? It is not like Ezio is being unfaithful by choice!" He tore his hat off of his head and wrung it out in his hands. What made it all the worse was that he had to wait in Monterrigioni for his lover's return. He had to wait an entire week with the girl that had seduced him. He growled low in his throat and threw his hat down on the ground. "That's right! She seduced me and I tried to stop, but then she kept going and she made me! I'm only half to blame!"

_-*-_-*-_

Leonardo spent a week and a half doing his best to avoid the young woman that seemed dead set on being his undoing...again. She followed him around, wearing her mother's old dresses from her days of courting Giovanni, purposely displaying as much cleavage as possible. Mario noticed the difference in her personality and clothes and inquired about it in a not so subtle way.

"I think that Claudia has taken a liking to you," the man said with a smile, clapping the younger man on the shoulder, "I already consider you a son through your connection to Ezio, must I worry about you stealing the heart of my niece as well?"

The artist turned and stared warily into the man's eyes and sighed heavily, plopping down on a stone bench and pressing his palms into his eyes. "Maestro Mario, I have a terrible issue. I've made a horrid mistake, and I do not know what to do!" He looked up desperately, a slight wild look about him.

Mario quirked an eyebrow, "What, pray tell, could you have done to put you in this state?"

"I...Claudia was comforting me and we..." He groaned and cupped his face again, "She is a sweet girl, but she admitted to plotting this and now she keeps coming after me! She told me that no matter my reaction to her advances she would have me at least once before her brother's return! It was not even an hour after his departure when she succeeded, but she then proceeded to try even after!"

The two sat in silence for a moment, and the engineer wondered why he was not getting yelled at or beaten for doing such a terrible thing to the young woman, so he looked up and frowned. Mario was staring blankly over his head, and when the younger opened his mouth to question, he interrupted, "Good to see you again, Nipote. I will take my leave." He spun around and strode away stiffly.

Leonardo sat frozen, his back to the silent figure behind him. "You what with my little sister?" His voice was dark with anger and the blonde felt himself cringe. Claudia ran around the corner of the villa and threw her arms around the eldest, yelling at her brother to leave him alone. She then covered his quivering lips with her own and pressed into him.

Anger finally taking over, the man grabbed her upper arms and spun her away, into her older brother. He seethed, and screamed at the top of his lungs, "I didn't want this! I just wanted to be with Ezio, in Venezia! I don't know why you came after me, I don't know why I was too week to turn you away before it was too late, but consider this my declination!" He ripped off his hat and threw it at the siblings and stormed away.

He grabbed the reins of the first horse he saw and swung himself into the saddle. He dug his heals in and hollered at the steed, taking off at a fast gallop. Ezio yelled for him to come back, but he couldn't, he forced to poor horse on and didn't slow until the beast could move no longer.

_-*-_-*-_

The incident in Monterrigioni had been over four months ago, there was absolutely no way Ezio had not come back to Venezia. Leonardo had spent the time alone, no visits whatsoever. The thieves stayed away, no assassin come to make up with him, not even any guards to harass him. He was terribly alone, but had gotten over his tears. He had resigned himself to never seeing his love again, no matter how much he wanted to.

He had finished all of his commission, and the stream of requests was thin, almost non-existent. He put his name back on the "artist market" and waited for his next move. He was sitting in his kitchen, frowning to himself when there cam a knock to the door. He rose slowly and opened it, accepting the presented envelope and tipping the messenger absently. It was a commission, we was moving to Tuscany.

_-*-_-*-_

Ezio knocked on the heavy wooden door and opened it-except it wouldn't budge. He frowned at the knob and glanced around, cradling his blood dripping arm and he knocked again. He reached out and caught the wrist of a passing woman, to whom he gave a pleasant smile.

"Mi dispiace for frightening you, I merely was wondering if you happened to know where Messer da Vinci might be."

"Oh, he has been commissioned elsewhere. I'm not exactly sure where, but he left the city over a week ago."

Ezio frowned and released her. "Grazie," he mumbled, turning back to the door in disbelief. Gone, again?

**AUTHOR NOTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

G1: Well, this took longer to write than it should have, I'm just dreading the hate I'm gonna get for this!!!

Kitti: It will get better again, we promise!

G1: Next chapter will be reuniting, but of course there has to be more relationship conflict, or else this story will have no where to go...

Kitti: Please forgive the terrible events! Also, a kind person told us that you don't have to be in love to make babies...

G1: Of course we know this, I mean who can pass all their history classes and not know that half of the men were gay and had wives to hide it? If you have to be in love to have kids then I don't exist! Neither do my two brothers!!! Thank you for the concern though!

Kitti: As always, please don't misunderstand the tone, we are just letting you know that appreciate this, but we already were planning it.

G1: Until next time!!!!

再见！！！


	8. Chapter 8

**Desynched**

**Gothic 1**

G1: Okay, I know this is a big faux pas, but I feel the need to raise up another author, not that they will ever know since they don't read me.

Kitti: Atlas Rain is amazing! You should all go read those seven chapters of heaven!

G1: Not to say you shouldn't keep reading my rabble, I still love you all!

Kitti: Alrighty then! GIT GOIN'!!!!

G1: Yosh, Masta'!!!!!

**Chapter 8**

Ezio glared sideways at his sister and snarled under his breath. The girl had been over the top annoying since she found out about the painter's disappearance. He had returned to the villa in hopes that one of the mercinari had seen him in transit. No such luck, only Claudia laughing at him. She was being unusually cruel since the incident so long ago, and he just couldn't place a reason for her to treat him like that.

"Zio," he mumbled, stepping out of a late night shadow and startling the older man, "have you any idea why Claudia is acting so rude?"

Mario frowned and crossed his arms. "You had already taken the only man she has seen and been interested in in years. It could be that as well as the jealousy over the fact that she has no way to meet people."

The assassin muttered to himself and looked away. This was making no sense to him. He had wanted so desperately to talk things out with his lover, but he had fled. After Ezio finally got the truth out of Claudia and his uncle he returned to Venezia and was immediately dispatched on a mission. His first chance to visit the workshop and the artist was out, delivering some of his work, after that he was receiving a commission from some aristocrat, then he was gone. No where to be found. Not a soul seemed to know where he had gone.

"Nipote, maybe..." the man trailed off and collected his thoughts, not wanting to make matters worse by spouting the wrong thing. "Maybe it is best to let it lie until it wants to be found?" He turned and walked into his office, leaving his nephew alone to mull it over.

_-*-_-*-_

Arrows glanced off of his spaulders as he raced over the clay rooftops of Tuscany(HINT!). He yelled hoarsely as his thigh was pierced. He tumbled over himself and crashed through a window on the roof. He cursed the stronzo that would be stupid enough to have such a silly feature and landed on his back, crying out as the shaft of the arrow broke inside his leg. The gaurds called to each other and gathered around the hole, laughing at him.

Shit! He was trapped like a rat and laying in the middle of some stranger's living room no less! A hand closed over his wound, much to his surprise, and wiped the blood on the floor. The man then lifted the assassin and roughly threw him behind a curtain, into a pile of dead bodies. Ezio opened his mouth in his confusion, only to find the man's hand in the way. Leonardo stared down at him with a warning look and began spreading the blood about, knocking things over and kicking his own front door open, breaking the frame. He then yelled as loud as he could, "Somebody stop him!" the street was silent and empty, rendering the yell useless. The guards that had been chasing the assassin had climbed down and stared around in confusion.

"Where did he go?"

"I wish I knew! That bastardo crashed in here, wrecked my workshop, got blood _everywhere_ and then ran! How am I going to pay for the repairs?" The artist ranted, saying the last as a mournful mumble. The guards glanced between themselves and grumbled about losing such a valuable bounty before leaving, already giving up.

Leonardo sighed at his door and pulled it closed, pushing a table in the way to keep it closed before turning back to the curtain that Ezio crouched behind.

"Sorry about the rough treatment, but that had to be fast," the artist leaned over and offered his clean hand, helping the injured man to his feet. He led his charge to a chair and sat him down to examine the arrow wound.

Ezio simply stared in astonishment. He had spent nearly a year in search of this man, only to literally fall into his lap! He watched absently as his thigh was poked and prodded, then pulled his love into a crushing hug. The engineer fell on the bleeding leg, but he ignored the pain and sucked in a shaky breath. Slender arms slowly wrapped around his back and he smiled as his neck was wet by tears.

"Where were you?" Leonardo wailed, pulling back to look at his boyfriend. "I waited for months, but you never came!"

"I kept coming to see you, but you were either out on errands or getting commissioned! Then you were gone, not a trace! No one knew where you were!" They stared at each other, wondering how much was allowed.

"I thought that you wouldn't want to see me again," the artist mumbled, looking down. Ezio grabbed his chin and forced him to meet his gaze.

His gold eyes glittered with unshed tears, "Our first unwilling break was too much for me, what makes you think I could handle the rest of my life without you?" They stared at each other, and finally neither could take it any more. They separated, laughing uncontrollably. "That has got to be the corniest thing I have ever said!"

Leonardo nodded and choked on his spit, coughing as he tried to calm himself.

"But I do mean it," the assassin whispered, hovering his mouth over the pale lips of his lost lover. He sighed heavily before removing the distance and kissing him, full of passion and dormant want. The artist moved into the kiss and opened his mouth, bracing himself on the thighs he sat between, earning a yelp.

"Mi dispiace!"

"It's okay, Leo, just get this damn thing out of me," Ezio growled in response, bracing himself. The engineer gripped the arrow shaft and pulled, wrenching it from the thigh quickly, but far from painlessly. He frowned down at the remaining hole and looked back at the piece of wood he still held.

"This is not good, no quite bad, but definitely not good. The head is still in there," he looked up through his lashes and frowned.

"Get it," came the pained response. He nodded and crawled away, grabbed a long metal rod that was split down the middle. He carefully slid the tweezers into the wound and pinched the end of the broken shaft, pulling gently. It didn't budge. He stared helplessly for a moment and nodded to himself.

Tossing the tweezers aside he picked the retrieved shaft back up and reinserted it. Ezio bit back a scream and watched in angered interest, being forced to close his eyes in agony as the dowel traveled further into his legs. It met its embedded other half and Leonardo kept pushing. He closed his eyes against the screams and shoved the head through the other side of his love's thigh. He opened his eyes and pulled both pieces out and stood, wrapping his arms around the assassin's neck, apologizing.

He took Ezio's face between his palms and kissed him between his words, accidentally smearing blood all over the other man's face and anywhere else he happened to touch. They sat for minutes, kissing and whispering, touching and shaking.

After the long apology, Ezio removed his greaves, boots, and breaches. He watched as the elder knelt before him and wrapped his thigh, kissing the flesh around the bandage as he worked. Upon finishing he looked up at his love, eyes unreadable. They smiled at each other and Leonardo helped pull up the stained breeches. The artist stood and kissed the younger man gently and cradled his head, murmuring. They stood, rocking slowly, enjoying the other's company.

The men slowly separated and grasped hands. Suddenly a sad look crossed the younger's face. He frowned and led his lover to the table and sat him in a chair. He knelt down and clasped the pale hands offered to him and heaved a sigh.

"My child did not make it," his voice shook slightly and he held up a hand, silencing the other man in advance. "But yours did."

They watched each other carefully before Leonardo's jaw dropped. "My ch-child," his eyes strayed as he mulled over the new information.

"His name is Giovanni, after his grandfather. He is only a few months old, but already showing signs of the two of us. He has your eyes and my complexion."

The artist shook his head and rubbed his temples. "You speak of him as if he is ours, and not your sister's."

Ezio frowned and averted his gaze. "Claudia did not survive the birth. I saw her only a month before the complications started and she was fine. She was being very rude, Mother tried to say it was the pregnancy making her act like that, but Zio said it might be the fact that she is jealous of me and my freedom."

Silence pursued the uncomfortable topic. "So I inadvertently brought your mother back, but I killed your sister."

_-*-_-*-_

"Nipote!" Mario boomed, opening his arms to his brother's last child. "And my other Nipote!" He turned and roughly embraced the startled blonde.

"Oh, um...Zio Mario, so good to see you," Leonardo responded uncomfortably, hugging back.

"Ezio, so this is your love and the father of my grandchild." The artist looked over his newly dubbed uncle's shoulder and stared at the woman reaching out to the youngest man. She smiled lovingly over her son's outstretched arm, taking great interest in her new son.

She gently pushed away from Ezio and gripped the engineer's shoulders, looking him over. "He is a bit thin, but I can see why both of my children are so taken with him," she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek and hugged him. "Welcome to the family, 'Daddy'." The two stepped apart and Annetta came out of nowhere, holding a squirming bundle.

Ezio took the baby lovingly and kissed its nose. Giovanni laughed loudly and grabbed the leather necklace about his uncle's neck. After disentangling the chubby fingers the child was passed over to his father. Leonardo lifted the small bundle into his arms and almost cried.

Bright blue eyes stared out of a dark face, black curls swirling over the child's forehead. In all honesty, it did loo more like a child of Ezio than Claudia. "Giovanni," the artist whispered, kissing the boy – nay, his child – on the nose and sniffling, tears filling his eyes. "Who would have thought that my terrible deed would have such a wonderful turnabout?"

The group stood in silence, the only sound coming form the baby. The assassin wrapped his arms over his lover's shoulders and smiled, resting his chin in the crook of the pale neck. The blonde asked how they could be so welcoming to him after he had done such a horrid thing to Claudia, which caused her end.

They stared at him, unsure, when Maria stepped up and took her grandson. "You did not mean any harm. You did not kill my daughter. She told me everything while she was dieing, and nothing is your fault. We all know how men are," she muttered the last at her son, who laughed and scratched his head.

She leaned in and whispered in her new son's ear, lips brushing the shell, "And her pregnancy brought me out of my depression. Your actions made me realize that despite the losses, I need to be present in my childrens' lives."

They stared knowingly at each other, then Maria giggled, and stepped away. "Madame Auditore-"

"Please, call me Mother. You may not be of my womb, but my son has chosen you, therefore you are as much my family as if you were born to it."

Leonardo stared at his toes, holding back the urge to cry, laugh, and embrace his new family all at once. "I've never had a true family before," he mumbled, gasping at the sudden lack of air. Ezio laughed loudly, arms wrapped around his pale lover, lifting him off his feet.

_-*-_-*-_

Leonardo woke with a start, leaping to his feet for what seemed the millionth time that night to hush Giovanni. "Gio, my sweet, be silent," he cooed, lifting the child into his arms. He looked over his shoulder at Ezio, sighing at the man as he stretched lazily. It was so nice to sleep in his love's arms again, but the interruptions were getting old.

He turned away again and bounced on the balls of his feet. He smiled and leaned into the strong arms that wrapped around his waist. "You be nice Daddy, Papa had to deal with this while you were away, and until he sleeps through the night you will have to do this," he kissed a line down the soft neck before him and smirked slightly. "Besides, I can always make it up to you in the morning."

The men grinned at each other, then realized the growing silence and looked incredulously down at the baby. "So all we have to do is flirt and you're out like a light?"

**AUTHOR'S NOTES!!!!!!!!!!!!**

G1: So, this was a little longer than my norm, but I am VERY excited about where this story is headed!

Kitti: Okay, serious question: Are we predictable?

G1: Seriously!!! Neon POP totally called the plan to have a baby! NOT COOL!!!

Kitti: Are we just that obvious? That was our plan as soon as we saw the adultery coming, we wanted a baby.

G1: Seriously, I wanna know if I need to throw some curve balls! Anyone up for something crazy?!

再见


	9. Chapter 9

**Desynched**

**Gothic 1**

G1: Hello, and we're back again! I love this story to death! I update obsessively(albeit slowly)! I write this in my spare time in class! Is that weird?

Kitti: Yes. And yet no. You are a senior, and all your classes are super easy except Chinese.

G1: True-that. I guess it's okay, as long as no one looks over my shoulder and reads the...fun...HAHA! Unfortunately, I am in the middle of the Spring Musical, so my time for writing is stunted...

**Chapter 9**

Leonardo sucked in a breath and threw his head back, moaning loudly. Ezio laughed and covered his lover's mouth with his own, smiling as he tried to muffle the pleasured sounds. The two glance through their kiss at their sleeping son. They hadn't been able to wait till morning to play around, as it was their first night in such close proximity.

The younger's smile turned devilish as he leaned back into the kiss and sucked the artist's bottom lip into his mouth, nibbling teasingly. "Leo," he whispered huskily, breath tickling the reddened lips of his lover, "We cannot go on with the little one here."

"You think Annetta would take care of him for a few minutes?" the elder panted, diving for another kiss, only to be dodged.

"I will need _much_ more than a few minutes. Make that hours?" Leonardo shivered with anticipation and nodded enthusiastically. Ezio grinned and pushed off of the bed to pick up the cradle. He winked and carried it and their son from the room. The painter chuckled to himself at Annetta's incredulous shout, wanting to know how two adults can have so little self control. The young man in question returned, laughing loudly and shaking water out of his hair.

"She's so fiery!" came the response to his love's questioning stare as he shrugged out of his damp tunic. "Now where were we?" he whispered, crawling onto the cot seductively. He leaned forward and flicked his tongue over the pale lips in front of him. The engineer gasped slightly and pressed in, almost desperately, only to miss his target again.

Ezio laughed and made to pounce. Leonardo spun away, hooking his heel in the sheets and catching his lover across the stomach as he fell. With a laugh the blonde hopped over the younger's back, wrapping the cloth over him. The assassin wiggled uselessly, blinking incredulously up at his captor.

"Where did you learn that?"

Leonardo shrugged and tied a knot in the blanket and grinned. "I lived alone for about a year, you think the delicate painter that is a constant victim would do so peacefully? I had to learn things to keep my dignity as well as my life."

The two stared at each other sadly before the elder found himself bored. He rose to his knees with a demonic grin and began to unlace his tunic. He revealed a triangle of pale flesh and traced his stained finger across the slim cords of muscle and purred as he leaned down, breathing shakily into his new toy's mouth. Ezio lifted his hips and ground forward, whispering please in Italian.

The artist clicked his tongue and bit the full bottom lip before him. "Nuh-uh, mi dispiace, but the torture must continue. I fear that I simply _need _this," he licked a thin line up the exposed neck and nipped, eliciting and delightful moan. He chuckled into the tanned flesh and began to suckle, rolling the bruising skin between his teeth. Ezio ground again and growled at the responding laugh.

"I swear mio amore, if I do not take you now I will lose my sanity! I can not bear to wait any longer!" The engineer sat back and grinned impishly.

"So be it," he whispered seductively, removing his clothes slowly. Upon finishing, he pulled the younger man's breaches down to his knees and firmly grasping the hardened organ. He pumped a few times before taking it into his mouth. He smirked up at the moaning man, loving the look of closed-eyed ecstasy. He carefully positioned himself and plunged, taking the entire length in one slam. Ezio yelled hoarsely in pleasured surprise, opening his eyes and blinking at his panting lover.

Leonardo bent down and kissed the younger man roughly. Upon separating, he removed the sheet, only to be flipped onto his stomach. The assassin growled low in his throat as he tore at the overly complicated clothing. The artist lay quietly, wiggling out of an article of his outfit every now and again to aid his lover. As soon as they were both in the nude, Ezio pressed into the puckered entrance. He kissed the exposed neck in front of him before slamming in with all that he had.

The engineer bit back a scream and arched back into the younger man, urging him on. Ezio plunged as hard and fast as he could, breath ragged, sweat beading all over his body. Leonardo rocked on his knees in time to the set pace, moaning hoarsely. The younger gripped the pale hips in front of him and thrust in harder, pulling out to the tip and slamming back in.

"E-Ezio, I'm not gonna m-make it much l-longer!" Just as soon as the words came out, the elder was tightening around the organ inside him, throwing them both over. The tanned man collapsed onto his love, forcing them both to the bed. Leonardo shifted uncomfortably until he was laying on his back. He wrapped his arms around the man's back and stroked a line of muscle, smiling into the shoulder before kissing it and closing his eyes to rest.

_-*-_-*-_

Leonardo leaped over a small gap between the buildings and skidded in his landing. He looked over his shoulder, eyes wide in panic as he pressed on. His breath came in shallow gasps, sweat poured down his face, into his eyes. It was so hard to see with his hair sticking to his eyelids. He could hear the yells of the guards behind him, his own footfalls rang like echoes in a cave, panic was taking over. Ezio, even with an arrow in his thigh, kept up his him. His eyes were narrowed dangerously as he pulled a knife from his belt. He turned mid-step and threw the blade, which his its mark between the eyes of the nearest soldier.

As he spun back around, an arrow sailed out of nowhere and struck between his shoulder blades. He howled in pain and toppled over the edge of the building. Leonardo skidded to a halt and vaulted himself over the side. He pulled in his limbs to go faster and caught up with the assassin. He spread his arms and wrapped them around the bleeding man, then spun and shifted, putting his own back to the rapidly approaching water.

They hit with a huge splash, spiraling downward. The painter hooked his fingers through a belt and used his other arm to help propel them to the surface. Their heads broke through the surface and Leonardo gasped for breath. He coughed and looked over at his lover.

"Ezio, we are safe, it is alright," he whispered hoarsely, shaking the man slightly. There was no response and panic yet again flooded his mind. He paddled with one arm to the nearest ledge and tossed the unconscious man ashore before pulling himself up as well. He held his cheek over the slightly part lips and went cold. No air. He wasn't breathing. More panic. Leonardo held his fists over the broad chest and closed his eyes before pounding as hard as he could. Water spilled out of the pale mouth, but there was still no rise and fall of the chest.

Tears filled the artist's eyes, blurring his vision as he pinched the bridge of his love's nose. He pressed his open mouth to the unmoving one below his and puffed air into his lungs. Nothing. He sobbed shakily and pounded the still breast again, over and over, pleading through his tears. He repeated the giving air and went back to pounding. The process dragged on and on, but there was no change. His hits became weaker, his offered breaths slower, when he finally just curled up, pressed into the cold and unmoving body next to him.

_-*-_-*-_

Night fell, and things moved, something happened, but the engineer was too numb to feel it. He knew he should be paying attention, but all he could do was imagine the pale, lifeless face of his lover. It was over, all over, and he had failed to save the man he loved. He was a failure. How could he go on living, knowing that he had let Ezio die?

_-*-_-*-_

There was warmth. He was in front of a fire. A fire in the hearth of his own home. He sat up and looked around, confused. How had he gotten there? The last thing he remembered was laying down next to his dead lover near the water. So how had he gotten home? There is a rustle behind him, in his kitchen, then a crash and familiar swear. Ezio? Impossible!

He stood and silently lifted the carving knife off of his work bench. He held it up in a way he had seen the late assassin while dagger fighting, weaving it slowly through the air in his white-knuckled fist. He crept into the kitchen, and paused. His lover stood before him, facing the counter, gathering up shards of a broken plate. His armor was gone, as was his tunic, leaving him in his long sleeved shirt and breeches. His loose hair hung in his face as he tried to scoop the pieces into his gloved hand while wearing a makeshift sling.

Leonardo stepped silently up behind the man and pressed the flat of the blade to the exposed throat. "Who are you?" The man froze, his eyes sliding to the corners, widening at the offender.

"Leo, it is me, Ezio. Will you please take the knife away?"

"You are not Ezio. I WATCHED EZIO DIE!" His voice cracked as he yelled, sobs racking his body. In his minor hysteria he lowered the blade ever so lightly, giving the younger man all the time he needed to disarm him and send him across the room. "I let him die," the artist choked out, leaning over on the table top.

The blonde slowly went silent, tuning the fuming man's voice out. His eyes fell on a scalpel, just sitting on the table, covered in dried blood from removing arrows and glass from his assassin. He picked it up carefully, positioned it against his own throat and spun around, facing the intruder.

"If you are Ezio you will care enough about my well being to leave!"

The tanned man's eyes flew wide, his hand shot out in front of him, only to stop shakily as Leonardo pressed the blade into his own throat, drawing blood. "Please, Leo, I beg you. Put the knife down. You know me. You know our son. Please, don't do this," he did his best to keep his voice even, drawing in shaky breaths to steady himself.

All the while he was talking the older man was shaking his head, mumbling through tightly closed lips. Hands closed gently around his wrists and pulled them down to his side. There was a pressure that forced his hand open. The scalpel hit the floor. Lips pressed to his feather-light. His tears were kissed away. His hands were released. He wrapped his arms around the taller man's neck. He was lifted by his backside onto the table. His tunic was unlaced. He was pulling Ezio's shirt over his head. He leaned back and moaned as a hot mouth traveled across his chest. He roughly pulled down his lover's breeches. He was naked. He was taken on his kitchen table.

**AUTHOR NOTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

G1: Well, this is VERY late! How uncool of me! It only took a few hours to write, but I didn't have any motivation to even try until after our Spring musical was over with!

Kitti: I wasn't even THINKING of getting on her ass about it, she's been working so very hard to work a major show and keep up in her classes.

G1: I can't upload this until I get home, cuz it won't work at school. Review, and I'm so sorry!


	10. Chapter 10

**Desynched**

**Gothic 1**

G1: Okay, so I feel kind of bad for leaving you guys hanging on how Leo and Ezio got into that situation and how Ezio wasn't really dead after all.

Kitti: Hopefully, time will be on our side, and this will be up and completed soon.

G1: Senior year is getting HECTIC! If only you guys knew HALF the crap, OTHER than my theatre life!

**Chapter 10**

Ezio frowned down at the sleeping man, unsure of his next course of action. It would probably be in his love's best interest to cut all ties with the Auditore, but judging by his reaction to the "death" it wouldn't go so well. He sighed and stood, allowing the sheets to fall away from his naked form. He stared out the window slats and sighed again, rubbing his temples in slow circles. He stood up and dressed himself slowly, thinking back on the previous day.

_-*-_-*-_Flashback_-*-_-*-_

Ezio stopped dead, one eye twitching as he watched an older, very distinguished man enter his home. He rushed to the cracked front door and listened. Leonardo obviously heard the intrusion because he called out, "Oh, Ezio. I did not expect you here so early! I apologize but I- What are you doing here?"

The assassin gripped the door frame angrily as the man responded with a simple, "Looking for you." He almost burst in then and there, but the man continued.

"You, Leonardo, are a very difficult man to track down. We station you in Firenze, only to have your letters become few. Then you are commissioned in Venezia, but rather than contact us to let us know that you are now in a more convenient spot, you hide. We send men to search you out, and do you know what we find?" A large crash and a muffled yell. It sounded as if the artist had been thrown into something, and all the younger man could do was grit his teeth and listen on. "We find you opening your door to an injured assassin. Now, surely you would take advantage of this and give him drugs instead of medicine, as you prefer not to bloody your hands, but no. Your brow creases in concern and you let him in. Our scouts wait out the night, hoping to see his body thrown into the street in the wee hours. Not a sound, not a sight. Instead, he leaves the next morning, completely unscathed! Not only is he unharmed, he is almost in full repair!" There was a loud thunk and a small whimper.

"You, Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci, are a betrayer. Do you know what we of the Brotherhood do to those who betray us? Of course you don't because it took us this long to find you. We kill them, but only after we kill everything they love." A small growl in return. "Now, I think I shall leave you in a compromising position, kill your son, then wait for your man. How does that sound?"

"You will not get near my son, Bastardo!" A sick crunching sound, a laugh, then the sound of a body hitting the floor. "Andrea, why can you not simply say that I am dead? You once told me I was like a son to you, so how can you do this?"

"Oh, you silly child. I have already killed my own children in a similar manner for the same thing." A gasp, then a squish. A hoarse yell, a thud, more crashes, and a loud crack. Ezio burst in to find his love, nose broken and face bloody, holding the man's head between his hands. The man was limp, chest towards his former apprentice, face towards the recent entry. The assassin stepped forward and paused again. There was a scalpel jammed into his lover's waist, and the wound was leaking blood at an alarming rate.

The painter let go of his mentor and grimaced as the man's body crumpled to the ground. "Andrea del Verrocchio, may the Father of Understanding guide you and requiescat en pacce." He lifted his head and frowned. "I am so sorry Ezio, I did not want this to reach your ears. I was stationed in Firenze to find the assassin there and gain intelligence. I met you, then I found out that my target was your father, so I covered my findings as best I could. I was too late, Uberto already knew and was on the inside. There was nothing I could have done without being branded a traitor and executed in my sleep."

He stepped over the body and pulled the blade out of his side, biting back a yelp. "I never lied to you, I just left out some crucial information. The things I could tell you would have incriminated me, but I guess that matters no longer. I can tell you so much, that this silly war is in the palm of your hand. All I ask is that you understand my motives and that I did all I could to protect your family. I even stood before the counsel and promised that none of the children knew about the secret assassin life. They believed me and ordered that only Giovanni be executed." He removed his tunic and shift, wincing as the fabric pulled away from the open wound.

"Frederico, I later found out, did indeed know, but we had no idea. He was only taken for killing three guards in defense of his family. Petruccio had less to do with all that business than you, but he was there and they were angry. I was told to target and dispose of Uberto for taking your younger brother, but you got to him first. I even gave you the means. That is when I stopped writing to the counsel. I wanted nothing more than to protect you."

Ezio blinked and nodded before handing over a cloth to cover the wound and staunch the blood for a while. He pushed his man into a chair and strode away, returning shortly with the medical equipment. Shortly after stitching Leonardo up Annetta arrived to pick up Giovanni for the week. With their son out of danger, the two men relaxed and stared across the table at each other.

"So, why hide your identity as a Templar defector? Doesn't this look worse for you?" Ezio asked, folding his hands over the tabletop. He kept his eyes low, but not completely off of the older man.

"I was scared. You knew me from the beginning as a gentle, almost timid man. Had I suddenly started fending off the guards or punching you every time you rattled me, it would have blown my cover. I am known for my pacifism. No one even considered that I might know how to defend myself, so rapists and the lechers were easy to dispatch without you around. I got very into my role as Leonardo the delicate painter. I liked how you treated me like I might break, but you weren't afraid to put me to use. I didn't want it to change, so...I messed up and kept something crucial from you."

The two stared at each other, one apologetic, the other almost angry.

_-*-_-*-_End_-*-_-*-_

Ezio shook his head and buried his face in his hands. He had let a Templar spy into his life, then his heart, then his bed. What a failure he was. How could he face his family knowing that he had been blind to an enemy. He looked over his shoulder at the man sleeping after sex. Ezio sighed and shook his head. Leo was Leo, and Leo was his life. Leo was the father of his child. Leo was the key to everything, to life, death, success, and failure. Leo could turn the tides of the world with the twitch of a paint brush.

Ezio sat back down on the bed and groaned. He was so used to being the one that led trouble to them, that got the other hurt, but this time they were on the run from Templars after a defector. They had figured out by Andrea's long absence that he must have failed. It was appalling, that one of their leaders had been taken out by an under-trained betrayer. The couple had to go on the run, but they ran into a trap. There had been no time for him to doubt the older man, just try and protect him. The assassin muttered under his breath and ground his knuckles into his temples.

AUTHOR NOTES!

g1: sorry for the lateness and the melodrama! I would have put more in there, but hey.

Kitti: updates will also become EVEN fewer for a while.

G1: I'm going to Taiwan with a government funded immersion program. I will leave June 19, so I will try to write more in the meantime. I return August 3, then I move into my college dorm the 14, and start school the 17.

kitti: needless to say, shits getting even busier than before, not to mention she has somewhat of a social life.

G1: i'm a hermit, dont listen to her. I have 3 friends that I visit with regularly, so I will try to get my ass in gear. Anyone got any ideas? I like to hear what others want to see next.


	11. Chapter 11

**Desynched**

**Gothic 1**

_I apologize with all that I am for the extreme lateness of this chapter. My mom killed herself, and my life simply fell apart. I took a leave of absence at school, dropped all extracurricular projects, I even stopped eating. The official time of death is 5:36 am on Saturday, August 21, 2010. That day will forever live with me. If anyone is curious about details, simply Google search "Cullman Times Pamela Nesmith Horowitz". You may not be able to find method of suicide, but it is probably for the better. If there were crime scene photos, someone out there would be able to access them after a while, and they would have to see her as I did, and my mom bloodied in bed was nothing I ever wanted to witness. I also apologize if this is TMI, but I feel like I owe an explanation as to my absence_. Enjoy the chapter.

**Chapter 11**

Ezio nodded across the road to his lover from his hiding spot in an alley. Leonardo grimaced and forcefully bumped into a guard, who turned and shoved the artist to the ground, spitting insults. The assassin threw a knife, deliberately missing, and openly fled down the middle of the street, causing panic. Patrols and civilians alike called out in terror at the presence of the white shadow. He dashed gracefully between groups of people, twirling and leaping out of the way. City guards and Templars abandoned their duties and joined the pursuit.

Leonardo stood and dusted himself off. The pair had been performing the same scheme for days in hopes that the commotion would make their mutual enemies forget about the defector. It appeared to be working. The engineer sighed and walked calmly down the cacouphanous street. He pushed open the door to his workshop about an hour later, having allowed the city time to calm, only to find a nasty surprise.

"Messer da Vinci, how nice it is to see you again. Mi dispiace that it had to be under such circumstances."

Margaret of York sat at the workbench, idly flipping through a stack of sketches, all of which depicting the artist's lover. Leo stood and stared blankly, unsure of what to do. If she were sitting there so comfortably then there was no doubt her hench men were also in the vicinity.

Sure enough, Lambert Simnel revealed himself by pushing closed the door he had been standing behind. Leo allowed himself a half-turn, so as not to put his back completely to the duchess or her favorite conspirator, and nodded.

"Salute, Lambert. How is Perkin?" The man lowered his gaze and snarled, but otherwise stayed silent. "Oh, yes, I recall now. He was hanged, was he not? That's right! He was caught in one of your Mistress's plots and put to death! They would have done the same to you two, but a connection couldn't proven."

Leonardo smirked as Lambert raised a fist in anger, only to be stopped by a white clad shadow. Ezio squeezed the man's fist and scowled. "I do not suggest bringing harm to my significant other. You see, I will be forced to take it personally and kill you and your family."

He released the larger man's limb and stepped up to his life mate and pressed their lips together in a brief kiss. The two Templar's choked back sounds of disgust at the sight of open homosexuality.

The duchess stood and scoffed, "enough of this-this display of sin! Lambert, we are here for a reason!" The mentioned man gathered his wits and drew a dagger, attacking Ezio with it. The assassin side stepped and brought Leo with him, keeping him as safe as possible.

The dance of thrust and dodge dragged on until Margaret finally got fed up with her lackey's lack of skill. Using the scuffle as a distraction, she lifted one of the many carving tools, a curved blade. She came up behind the defending pair, grabbed Leonardo's should and spun him around to face her, and drove the blade upward into his stomach.

The painter gasped and let out a wet, strangled whimper before falling into his love's arms. Margaret and Lambert curtly left the workshop, satisfied that they had completed the mission assigned to them.

Ezio called out his lover's name, shaking him and using everything within reach to cover the wound. Despite all of his best efforts, blood flowed freely and the older man became paler, his breathing slowed. The younger lifted the man into his arms and bolted into the street. He ran through crowds, causing a panic, but he didn't care. He had to find a doctor, FAST!

Ezio trudged aimlessly through the streets of Toscana, face blank, still covered in the blood of his life mate. He couldn't muster tears, sadness, not even anger. Movement in the shadows of the setting sun caught his eye. He stopped, leaving himself completely open to attack. Soldiers stepped out of alleys and doors from all around, weapons at the ready. They were all eager to finally take down the dreaded assassin.

The city guards closed in hungrily. Then, all at once, they fell. Ezio smirked up at the rooftops where his recruits stood with crossbows. Leonardo stepped out of the ranks and beamed at the younger man, hefting his own crossbow of a more intricate design over his shoulder appreciatively. The lovers stared at each other, the changed boundaries of their alliance was just too beneficial. With Leonardo's role as an able bodied killer revealed, they made an unstoppable team, especially when they were able to play off of worry for the other.

Once Ezio was sure that his mate would be fine, he very purposefully wandered the streets, seeming helpless so as to draw out his aggressive targets. With reports of the artist's death, the plan worked all too well and he was able to turn himself into bait to serve easy prey to his lover and his recruits.

_**AUTHOR NOTES**_

Okay, the chapter is up, I have no idea what to do for next chapter, so will someone PLEASE help me out? Just some ideas, plot devices, something? I have no idea what I can do, and if no one speaks up I will have to give this story a premature and abrupt ending that just leaves everything hanging out.


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